


The Color Green

by SilverFox89



Series: From Then to Now [27]
Category: Naruto
Genre: M/M, not amused Shikamaru, sleepy and cranky Shikamaru, sympathetic gate keepers, teasing Temari, very unhappy Neji
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-05
Updated: 2015-05-05
Packaged: 2018-03-29 05:33:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,836
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3884287
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilverFox89/pseuds/SilverFox89
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Shikamaru kind of wishes he'd never gotten out of bed.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Color Green

**Author's Note:**

> 30 Day OTP Challenge for the Fluff Impaired Prompt #27: Jealousy or insecurity
> 
> I got this one out on time! #28 is going to be a pain though. Urg… holidays are so much work.

It was three months into Neji and Shikamaru's relationship when the Nara got the news that Temari would be returning to Konoha from Kakashi. It would be the first time in over a year that she had been in Konoha for more than just business. Any time that she had been here and Shikamaru had escorted her all they had been talking about was the state of their villages, projected numbers, and other such things. As the Ambassador of Suna she had been exceedingly busy.

 

 _'_ _But then again so have I. Hell I'm busier than ever,_ _'_ Shikamaru thought in aggravation as he stood at the gates of Konoha. He didn't understand why Kakashi didn't just order some random Chūnin to take over as her escort. Sure, he still considered Temari to be a friend but he was just so busy these days. Not to mention the fact that he was expected to keep up with his own duties and his duties as the Nara Clan Head on top of escorting the Suna Ambassador. Worse still was the budding bad feeling that was starting to curl in his gut. The Nara glared at nothing as he tried to suppress a yawn and failed.

 

"Tired, Shikamaru?" Izumo asked.

 

"Too damn early for me to be up after the night I had," Shikamaru groused irritably. "I was up all night going over a report that Iruka-sensei put together for the overhaul of the Academy's curriculum."

 

"Why would you do that all in one go? That's some crazy reading to do," Kotetsu said. "I overhead Iruka talking about it with Kakashi-sama. Seemed like a big deal."

 

"It is," Shikamaru confirmed. "Now that we've somewhat recovered from the War Kakashi has managed to curtailed the Civilian Council's power. This means that they don't have the same power to meddle in the affairs of the Academy - something they never should have had in the first place. Due to their curtailed power they can no longer throw out the necessary changes that Iruka-sensei will be placing before the gathered Council."

 

"That means we'll have have better trained Genin!" Izumo said.

 

"Got it in one. Kakashi asked me to go through it and make notes on what I thought needed to be added or moved to a higher or lower year level. He also wanted me to make suggestion on how to train pre-Genin who have potential to be great but have certain issues like Gai-sensei and Lee do. Took me way too damn long to get through," Shikamaru stated.

 

"And how many hours of sleep did you get after you were done?" Izumo asked in concern.

 

"Um…three, maybe three and a half. I'm not really certain. I pretty much crashed until my alarm clock started blaring loud enough to wake the dead since I had to get up to turn that report in to Kakashi. Then I got suddenly got to roped into playing escort on what was supposed to be my day off."

 

The two Chūnin winced and Kotetsu shuddered, "Which means you now get to deal with Sabaku no Temari with less than four hours of sleep."

 

"Yep," Shikamaru said.

 

"Well good luck with trying not to murder her. You Nara are vicious when you don't get enough sleep," Kotetsu said.

 

"Thanks," Shikamaru said flatly.

 

* * *

 

It was roughly thirty minutes later that Shikamaru saw Temari appear on the road ahead. She was moving swiftly, but not so quickly that her pace seemed urgent. It didn't take her long to reach the gates and sign in. She grinned at the Nara, "So they stuck me with you again, Slacker?"

 

Shikamaru gave the Suna kunoichi a flat look as he turned to walk away but he kept his tone professional. "Let's just go. By the way, I'm too busy these days to be called a slacker anymore. I made sure your hotel suite was booked for the duration of your stay first thing this morning after Kakashi sprung this on me. You'd better not complain about it either since I spent the maximum amount allowed. The place looked pretty comfortable from what I saw of it. It's got a small kitchenette, a living room, large bedroom and attached bathroom."

 

"Aw. Just for me?" Temari teased.

 

"I don't need you or anyone else breathing down my neck for not making sure that you were appropriately house while here," Shikamaru said as he rubbed his eyes. "I've got enough on my work agenda as is and I have no intention of adding more to it."

 

"You look like crap," Temari said bluntly.

 

"No kidding," Shikamaru said with a bland voice. "I'm running on less than four hours of sleep and that's just from the paperwork I needed to have completed to hand off today. I'm dead tired and definitely not in the mood to deal with people giving me any sort of crap today."

 

"Does the crybaby need a nap?" Temari asked with a grin.

 

"I will seriously leaves you here," Shikamaru threatened. "Damn the consequences and Kakashi."

 

"Wow, you're testy today."

 

"I told you, less than four hours of sleep. I'm going to wind up snapping and killing the first person who tries to shove paperwork on me today when we stop by the Hokage's office. As soon as you've seen him and I've led you to where your staying so you can settle in I'm going home," Shikamaru said.

 

"So you're not even going to offer to treat me to a meal after all this time?" Temari glanced at the Nara from the corner of her eye. "That's kind of rude."

 

Shikamaru growled, his tiredness and the still growing unease he felt making him uncharacteristically temperamental. "Fine. Breakfast since it's still early, but that's it. Pick where you want to eat at. I don't really care."

 

Temari gave Shikamaru a concerned look. "You're in a really bad mood. And don't give me that whole 'less than four hours of sleep' excuse again. I've seen you function just fine on that much or less during the War. What's really wrong with you?"

 

Shikamaru sighed at her question. "Today was supposed to be my day off and I had plans for later today. The plan was to take a break and nap for most of the morning after I dropped off my work. Maybe take Choji and Ino out to Yakiniku Q for lunch if they were both available since we haven't been able to hang out lately. Now I'm stuck on escort duty with too little sleep because you terrify the Chūnin too much and Kakashi knows that I can't be frightened off by you so easily. Not to mention… Never mind. I doubt you'd understand."

 

"Oh no you don't! You don't really think I'd let an unfinished sentence like that go?" Temari stopped and glared at him. "And don't you dare say it's nothing because I definitely won't buy it."

 

"Ugh… Neji is supposed to be home this afternoon. We don't see each other very often since we're so damned busy, so we try to greet one another whenever we can," Shikamaru sighed as he stopped as well.

 

"You're right, I don't get it. You'll always be able to see him some other time," Temari said, crossing her arms over her chest.

 

Shikamaru frowned as he looked at her. "Why do you even care so much? We haven't actually spoken to each other in over a year."

 

"That's the point exactly. We haven't talked to one another. It's been all business. Necessary business, but still."

 

Shikamaru blinked at the blonde woman as his tired mind began to catch on to the sub text of what Temari was saying. "Wait, what?"

 

Temari gave the Nara an incredulous look. "Are you seriously telling me that you're only just now figuring out what I'm talking about?"

 

Shikamaru stared at her for several long minutes before he blurted out, "Uh, don't take this the wrong way or anything, but I don't think of you that way anymore! I'm not trying to be rude but the fact of the matter is that I'm definitely not looking for anyone -"

 

"Not when he's already been taken off the dating market," a male voice said from behind them.

 

"Neji?! You're back already!" Shikamaru turned swiftly to look at the older man. "I thought you wouldn't be home until late afternoon."

 

"Our medic made us double time it after one of the team members had an unexpected allergic reaction to something. She wanted to get him back to Konoha as quickly as possible so that tests could be run. He was lucky that she was carrying epipens or the situation would have been much worse," Neji said. Then he turned to Temari and tilted his head in greeting, "Sabaku-sama."

 

Temari narrowed her eyes at the Hyūga. "What do you mean by 'off the dating market'?"

 

Shikamaru sighed and rubbed his temple even as his gut instinct told him to flee. "I'm too tired for this crap."

 

Neji's eyes flicked away from the Suna kunoichi to rest on Shikamaru again. "Were you up all night again? You know better than that, Shikamaru. If I've told you once, I've told you a thousand times that the paperwork can wait until you've rested well enough to look at it again without seeing double. That's how mistakes get made."

 

"I was trying to help Iruka-sensei with his curriculum overhaul report. He needed it back as soon as possible to revise it because it goes before the Council to be voted on next week," Shikamaru explained tiredly.

 

"I see. A noble pursuit, if a bit too much too stay up all night for."

 

Shikamaru made a rude gesture towards the other man and yawned.

 

"And as for what i meant, Sabaku-sama," Neji turned his attention back to Temari, his eyes narrowing menacingly. "Nara Shikamaru already has a significant other in his life. You simply weren't quick enough to stake any sort of claim on him. More importantly, said significant other does not appreciate poachers."

 

Shikamaru blushed and dropped his head into his hands, "Damn it, Neji!"

 

"Hm? Is something the matter?"

 

"Green is not your color," the Nara muttered.

 

"Wait a minute!" Temari was quick to put the clues together. "You and Shikamaru are -"

 

"Dating. Yes. Kindly stop throwing yourself at my lover, Sabaku-sama. It is unseemly behavior for one of your station," Neji said before turning to the aggravated Nara. "I'll be at your house after I've made my report to Kakashi-sama. I will see you when you finish here."

 

Shikamaru sighed and nodded. "See you there."

 

The shadow-nin turned to Temari after the Hyūga was out of sight and took in the woman's furious expression. "I guess there's no chance you'll hear me out?"

 

"None," she hissed. "I'll ask for a different escort. Get the hell out of my sight right now, Nara."

 

Shikamaru's instincts told him that she meant business so he did the smart thing and hightailed it as quickly as possible.

**Author's Note:**

> Temari eventually gets over herself and, honestly, if it weren't for Neji being alive in my timeline they might have actually gotten together. But he is because I HATED what Kishimoto did to him.


End file.
